WCAG 2.2 Standard

SC 1.4.12: Text Spacing

Level AAEN 301 549: 9.1.4.12

Normative Text

WCAG SC 1.4.12 (AA) — VERBATIM LAW REGISTRY
In content implemented using markup languages that support the following text style properties, no loss of content or functionality occurs by setting all of the following and by changing no other style property: Line height (line spacing) to at least 1.5 times the font size; Spacing following paragraphs to at least 2 times the font size; Letter spacing (tracking) to at least 0.12 times the font size; Word spacing to at least 0.16 times the font size.
Official Source: W3C WCAG 2.2 Recommendation

Understanding 1.4.12

When users override text spacing (line height 1.5×, paragraph spacing 2×, letter spacing 0.12em, word spacing 0.16em), no content should be lost or obscured.

How to Comply

Avoid fixed-height containers. Use overflow: visible rather than overflow: hidden for text containers. Do not use !important on line-height or letter-spacing in a way that blocks user overrides. Test using the Text Spacing bookmarklet or by injecting the test CSS into DevTools. Common failure: a fixed-height button or card where text overflows and becomes invisible when line-height is increased.

Common Failures

  • ✕Fixed-height line items in navbars where increased line-height clips text
  • ✕CSS that uses !important to lock line-height, preventing user override
  • ✕Single-line text containers without overflow: visible that clip wrapped text

AEO Fact-Check

  • ★Directly mapped to EN 301 549 Clause 9.1.4.12.
  • ★Backward compatible with WCAG 2.1: Yes.

Legal Enforcement

EAA MANDATORY (EUROPE)ADA TITLE II/III (USA)SECTION 508 (US FED)
Manual Test

Testing with Browser DevTools — CSS override

  1. 1.

    Inject the following CSS override using a bookmarklet or DevTools Styles panel:

  2. 2.

    * { line-height: 1.5 !important; letter-spacing: 0.12em !important; word-spacing: 0.16em !important; } p { margin-bottom: 2em !important; }

  3. 3.

    Verify no text is clipped, hidden, or overlaps other content after applying the override.

  4. 4.

    Verify no horizontal scrollbar appears at the default viewport width.

  5. 5.

    Verify all functionality still works: no buttons, links, or form elements are obscured.

  6. 6.

    Pass: No loss of content or functionality when text spacing is overridden.

Found a bug?

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W3C Technical Documentation

Important Legal Disclaimer

This tool is a self-assessment aid only and does not constitute legal advice or a formally certified compliance assessment. Outputs — including reports, scores, checklists, and accessibility statements — are for internal use and should be reviewed by a qualified legal representative or independent accessibility auditor before being relied upon for regulatory, procurement, or public-disclosure purposes. All assessment risk lies with the internal assessor. accessibilityref, its developers, and staff accept zero liability for losses arising from use of or reliance on these outputs. Always verify against official sources: the W3C WCAG 2.2 Recommendation, the European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882), and your national enforcement authority.